System and method for selection of security algorithms

A gateway for managing security for a connection between a user device and an Long Term Evolution (LTE) communications network comprising at least one Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) base station and a core network, the gateway comprising:

• a receiving unit configured to receive security capability information for the user device connecting to the communications network;
• an obtaining unit configured to obtain security capability information for a base station of the at least one base stations;
• a processing unit configured to process the security capability information for the user device and the security capability information for the base station to select a plurality of preferred security policies for a connection between the user device and the base station;
• and
• a transmitting unit configured to transmit the plurality of preferred selected security policies to the base station as a list of preferred security policies from which said base station can select a security policy,
• wherein the selected plurality of preferred security policies relates to at least one of a Radio Resource Control (RRC), a User Plane (UP), and a Non-Access Stratum (NAS) security algorithm selection.

An Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) gateway for managing security for a connection between a user device and a communications network comprising at least one base station and a core network, the gateway comprising:

• a receiver for receiving security capability information for the user device connecting to the communications network;
• a device for obtaining security capability information for the base station;
• a processor for processing the security capability information for the user device and the security capability information for the base station to select a plurality of preferred security policies for a connection between a user device and the base station;
• and
• a transmitter for transmitting the selected plurality of preferred security to the base station as a list of preferred security policies from which said base station can select a security policy,
• wherein the selected security policy relates to at least one of a Radio Resource Control (RRC), a User Plane (UP), and a Non-Access Stratum (NAS) security algorithm selection.

A user device for connecting to a Long Term Evolution (LTE) communications network comprising at least one Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) base station and a core network, the user device comprising:

• a transmitter for transmitting security capability information for the user device to the core network;
• and
• a connection unit configured to establish a connection to the base station using a selected security policy;
• wherein the selected security policy is selected by the base station, from a preferred list of security policies comprising a plurality of preferred security policies selected by the core network based on the security capability information for the user device and security capability information for the base station;
• and
• wherein the selected security policy relates to at least one of Radio Resource Control (RRC), User Plane (UP) and Non-Access Stratum (NAS) security algorithm selection.

A method performed by a user device for connecting to a Long Term Evolution (LTE) communications network comprising at least one Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) base station and a core network, the method comprising:

• transmitting security capability information for the user device to the core network;
• and
• establishing a connection to the base station using a selected security policy;
• wherein the selected security policy is selected by the base station, from a preferred list of security policies comprising a plurality of preferred security policies selected by the core network based on the security capability information for the user device and security capability information for the base station;
• and
• wherein the selected security policy relates to at least one of Radio Resource Control (RRC), User Plane (UP) and Non-Access Stratum (NAS) security algorithm selection.